Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey
Special Features: “On The Red Carpet” Feature and Photo Gallery
Certificate: 12
Boasting the same understated, dialogue-driven style that’s long been his trademark, the most recent addition to Woody Allen‘s enviable body of work – Irrational Man – is one that proves quite difficult to quantify. Taking inspiration from some of his previous successes, Allen mixes romance, mystery and comedy elements into this latest offering, making for a quirky, unusual drama.
When philosophy professor Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix) arrives at his new Rhode Island campus, it’s fair to say his reputation precedes him. Famed as an original thinker with alcoholic tendencies and a penchant for womanising, his arrival is the talk of the town, not least in the home of Jill (Emma Stone), a bright student enrolled in his class.
It transpires however that Abe has become disillusioned with life and now struggles to form relationships, something both protégée Jill and colleague Rita (Parker Posey) seem eager to fix. Stuck on a downward spiral, Abe’s life and relationships suddenly change when a chance encounter leads him to commit an existential act.
Beautifully shot and light-hearted in tone, Irrational Man is certainly easy to watch, managing to remain witty and playful despite the dark questions at its heart. Allen draws solid performances from his talented leads and makes the most of the film’s Rhode Island setting, no doubt adding it to many a globetrotting wish list.
Unfortunately the movie does have its issues; much of the dialogue – and dare I say, the characters themselves – do at times feel quite bland and lacking in realism, resulting in some frustrating and self-serving exchanges. The narrative also disappointingly submits to cliché at times causing a sense of deja vu, though a couple of nice twists do go some way to addressing this.
Sure to please fans of his work, Irrational Man proves another worthy addition to Woody Allen’s filmography; a gentle, intriguing and well-made film, though perhaps not the most gripping or memorable of cinematic experiences.
Irrational Man is available on Blu-ray, DVD and digital download from the 1st of February.
